Ed Tiedemann’s
Florida Diving Adventure

January 3 through 7, 2024

Watch a YouTube video of our 2018 trip

Download the Florida 2024 Flyer with all the pricing.

Everyone needs some “Adventure” in their lives.

Over the years we at Tiedemann’s Diving Center have organized hundreds of trip. Some to very exotic places like Truk Lagoon or Dunbar Rock. Some interesting places like the Saint Lawrence seaway to do some amazing wreck diving. Yet there is one area we go back to year after year without fail -Central Florida.

Most people think of the Florida Keys when it comes to diving in Florida, but one of the secrets of Florida is it’s Springs. These fresh water Springs offer some of the most interesting diving in the world, giving divers a chance to see fascinating underwater formations and the best visibility in the world. When Jacque Cousteau visited Ginnie Springs he called it “visibility forever”. We will be travel to Ginnie as part of our adventure.

For me, Ed Tiedemann, diving in Central Florida’s Springs offers some great adventures in diving. Diving that I have been doing since the late 1960’s. If you want some adventure in your life, consider joining me and the great instruction team at Tiedemann’s Diving Center. Remember, everyone needs some adventure in the their lives. If this sound good to you, read on and find out how you can join us.

Day One, Wednesday:

The adventure begins. We start our trip on Wednesday, January 5, in Gainesville Florida. Every adventurer needs a good nights sleep. To make sure we get that, we will be staying at the Best Western Gateway Grand located in Gainesville.

How you get to Florida… is up to you. Most people fly into Orlando since you can get good airfare and renting a car is simple. You could fly into Jacksonville if you wish.

Since our adventure will take us to a number of interesting places, you will need to rent a car or be part of a car pool. We will be setting up cars pools to keep the cost down.

If you are into a “road trip”, the distance is only 1100 miles and it can be done is one or two days.

Day Two, Thursday:

Our day starts with a nice continental breakfast at the hotel. After breakfast we are off to Blue Grotto for a full day of diving. This is a unique location and great place to start our adventure.

If you are planning to get your Open Water Diver certification during the trip you will do two dives here with your instructor. These count towards the four you need for certification.

For all the certified divers on the trip, you can do two or three dives, whatever you feel like doing.

Day Three, Friday:

After breakfast we head to Devil’s Den. This formation is known as a “sink hole”. What looks like a hole in the ground on the surface, turns into a huge underground cavern with a beautiful bowl of clear water and interesting formations.

For the divers getting certified, we will do your two remaining dives and that afternoon and you will be a certified Open Water Diver.

For certified divers, two or three dives can be done during the day. As an added bonus, we will be doing a night dive at Devil’s Den. To do the night dive you will need to be certified as a Night Diver or be taking the Night Diving course we are offering.

Day Four, Saturday:

After breakfast we are off to Ginnie Springs. Here, we will be diving in waters that is considered the clearest diveable water in the world.

We have a chance to dive in a number of different Springs and do a “river run”. Since everyone will be certified at this point all divers can do two or three dives.

You should plan to complete your last dive so that you will have 24 hours after your last dive before you get onto an airplane, if you are flying home the next day.

Day Five, Sunday:

We check out of the hotel today. We get an early start so we can get to Crystal River. Getting on the river early makes our chances of seeing the Manatees excellent.

We then board a boat and head out onto the river to snorkel with the manatees. We will have the opportunity to see, in the wild, one of the most relaxed and interesting creatures.

There are very few creatures we can truly interact with in the water. The manatee is an exception. You can get great photos and videos of you with the manatees. Manatees are an endangered species so don’t miss the opportunity to meet them in the wild.

Our manatee interaction will be done by 1 pm. So you will have plenty of time to get to the airport if you are catching a flight home that day. Check the travel time from Crystal River to the airport you are leaving

The Details

As you can see, we have lots planned for our trip. You can join us for everything or just the parts that interest you. The full price of the trip includes:

• Hotel accommodations for four night based on double occupancy

• Three days of diving

• Blue Grotto - includes entrance fee, tanks, weights, and air fills

• Devil’s Den - includes entrance fee, tanks, weights, and air fills

• Ginnie Spring - includes entrance fee, tanks, weights, and air fills

• Crystal River - Manatee boat snorkeling trip

Non-diver friends can join us on the trip for a reduced rate. That includes hotel accommodations (based on double occupancy), and entrance fees to all the parks and snorkeling with the Manatees. This can be a great snorkeling trip if you are not certified. Each of our three destinations are great for snorkeling. That price includes use of wet suit, mask, fins and snorkel for the whole trip.

Things not included in the trip price are: Transportation to and from Florida. You can drive to Florida (it is 1100 miles from the shop in Levittown to the hotel in Gainesville). You can fly into Orlando or Jacksonville and be part of a carpool in Florida. Transportation while in Florida. We will be traveling from our Gainesville hotel to the three parks and Crystal River. Gainesville is about two to about two and a half to two hours from Orlando. Gainesville is about one and a half hours from Jacksonville. We will be setting up carpools to keep the costs down. Other than the continental breakfast at the hotel no meals are included in the trip price.

Equipment:

Tanks and weights are included in the price of the trip.

You would need to have your own personal gear - mask, snorkel, wetsuit boots, fins and wetsuit gloves. Everything else can be rented.

Each diver needs a full set of Scuba equipment and a dive light. That includes - BC, regulator with “Octo”, and SPG. For thermal protection you will need what ever you would use in 72 degree waters. I recommend a full suit consisting of a 5 or 7 mm jumpsuit or 7 mm pants with a 3 mm jacket on top. Tiedemann’s rental wetsuit is just that, 7 mm pants with a 3 mm jacket.

If you do not yet own your own gear yet you may rent a full set, or what ever you might need. Rental available include: wetsuit - jacket, pants & hood, BC, U/W light and full regulator. The normal price for a one day rental is $100. For the trip we have a special price of only $150 for the entire trip.

Note; You will need to take the rental gear down and back for the trip.

Not yet certified?

If you need to do your dives for your Open Water Diver certification, the trip is set up to do just that. To finish or certification you need to do four dives over two days. We will complete those dives on Thursday and Friday of the trip.

Since we are doing more dives than the four dives needed for Open Water Diver certification, divers getting certified as Open Water Divers on the trip can also do one or two Advanced Specialty courses during the trip.

The courses which can be done during the trip, for divers who are also doing the four dives for Open Water Diver are:

Computer Diving
Night Diving
Nitrox Diving (Enriched Air Nitrox)
Underwater Imaging (stills and/or video)

Want to get more out of your trip?

The trip is great way to experience some new and interesting dive locations. Since are going to be doing a good number of dives, why not use those dives to learn something new. We will be offering a few of our great Advanced Diving Specialties.

Check out the details of Tiedemann’s Diving Center’s Advanced Program at the back of this flyer.

The Advanced Diving Specialties we will be offering are…

Nitrox Diving - Special Florida trip pricing includes the online home study, certification card and two Nitrox fills on the trip.

Computer Diving - Special Florida trip pricing includes the online home study, a certification card and use of a computer, if you do not own one.

Underwater Imaging - photos and/or video - Special Florida trip pricing includes the online home study, a certification card and the use of a Go-Pro type camera, if you do not own one.

Night Diving - Special Florida trip pricing includes the online home study and a certification card.

Depending on the course, we may have academic review sessions on Long Island before the trip. All required dives will be worked into the trip’s normally diving schedule.

More Details:

A $200 deposit is needed to will hold your spot. Trip size is limited, so don’t wait and miss out.

The balance for the trip is due December 3, 2023. If you do not have someone to stay with, we will help you find a roommate.

If you wish your own room, the cost is extra.

If you can’t do the whole trip, contact me at 516-796-6560 and I can adjust the trip so that it works for you. Your price would be based on what you would like to do with us during the trip.

Want to talk with me directly about the trip? I am at the shop five days a week. Check the Home Page current hours.